Archive for June, 2011|Monthly archive page

That’s a pretty tall claim, but I’m in the middle of a good story. I’m going back to Africa in a week, this time for 2 1/2 weeks plus that 4-5 days worth of travel time. I’ll be in Nairobi for a week and then in Addis Ababa for a week. I have a HUGE suitcase loaded with goodies for folks there. Right now, I’m thinking that the suitcase will stay in Africa as it’s really much too large for a suitcase, more resembling a steamer truck and we don’t travel by steamer any more, which might be unfortunate.

I hope to visit orphan elephants and pet a giraffe’s nose. And of course, work with these wonderful people who are totally committed to positive change in Africa. Did I tell you that Africa resembles a start up? Well, the parts that I’ve experienced. I suppose it’s kind of dumb to generalize an entire continent, but despite the news that we hear about war and strife and poverty and death of which there is plenty, or maybe in spite of it . . . the Africa I found is full of hope and possibility and like a start up, you don’t hear, we tried that and it didn’t work or we don’t think that will work. We hear, “Hey! That’s interesting. We’ll try it and let you know.” Open thinkers, open hearts?

And, we’re going to be Sketchnoting!!!! so about 1/4 of the suitcase contains boxes of markers — kid friendly markers which I’ve found are much better than the artist type markers. They’re cheap, they don’t bleed through and you don’t worry about someone with a heavy hand mashing down the point.

So a blend of two good stories. Before I leave I’m spending a week in the mountains where I plan to sleep in. You can’t actually arrive in Africa rested cause of the flights but at least I won’t run out of steam before I get on the plane. And then I count on adrenaline to get me through the rest.

What is Sketchnoting?

Are you tired of looking at boring pages of handwritten text and trying to recall why you wrote that particular phrase down? What did it mean to you?

Are you having trouble finding the two important points that you know you wrote down somewhere on the page but your eyes just won’t focus on the sea of hen scratching?

Do you dread yet another class where you have to take notes to remember and you HATE taking notes?

Do you wish that you could do something as interesting as the presenter but not have to stand up in front of a crowd to do it? Do you want to do it right now?

Try Sketchnoting. Sketchnoting is the process of recording ideas using images and words. The picture at the top of this post is a thinking sketchnote when I was trying to figure out what went into a class on Sketchnoting.

Why Sketchnote?

When you Sketchnote, you bypass your internal verbal editor to stretch beyond what is familiar. Ideas have room to play and connect to new ideas. Images also engage deeper memories. When I look at my Sketchnotes, I am able to recall what I was feeling, where I was, what else was said that I didn’t record, etc.

I’ve been Sketchnoting for about 4 years. As you can see from my example, you don’t have to be an artist to get real value out of sketchnoting.

But if you want to see what Sketchnotes can become, you can see some great examples from some very accomplished sketchnoters. http://sketchnotearmy.com/

What’s included in the workshop?

The workshop will be held at the Eye of the Dog Art Center in San Marcos, halfway between Austin and San Antonio. It’s a wonderful venue for creative thinking.

The workshop’s emphasis is on the listening/recording process using only simple images.

In 4 1/2 hours, the class will cover:

how to listen and think in order to come up with images

how to create simple, meaningful pictures

how to create and use text as a design element

how to draw simple faces and figures that register emotion

how to make it all attractive

This class is a pilot which is why it’s cheap ($50). Other four hour classes on sketchnoting and graphic recording start at $200. You have a chance this one time to draw and play and eat and drink and walk away with a journal for your practice for the price of a night out.

If you’re interested in attending, let me know. I’ll keep an email list and send you the Eventbrite invitation once it’s up and ready.

For those of you who haven’t followed sketchnoting, it’s the emerging practice of recording ideas using images. Many folks use text but focus on text as images. Sketchnotes create these lovely records of experiences.

And many of you know that I’m working on a Sketchnote course. We have a DATE for the pilot AND a location. It’s August 20th from 1-5 at the Eye of the Dog Art Center. I can’t think of a place that’s more fun and more conducive to this kind of thinking.

The cost will be around $45-50 per person and for that you will get a fabulous sketchbook, a selection of drawing pens, snacks, a gallery happy hour and many, many, great ideas from your fellow Sketchnote travelers.

Here’s a sample as an invitation (from Rumi. Thanks, Abby for the reference). Now I just have to get the thing down from 6 hours to 4!!!

The crown is made of gold, like the crowns of kings. But it is made to great precision to fit just me. And I was modified to fit it and it was built to fit me.

I am becoming a cyborg and so far I like it.

It is more sensitive than the me that was there before. It can sense minor changes in hot and cold.

My tongue is somewhat enamored with it. To my tongue, all the others are nice, but now that the cyborg is there, they are all somewhat boring. The cyborg is smooth and shiny and super-sensitive and understands the tongue like no one it has ever met.

And so the change begins, with one tiny piece. I, for one, welcome our student-installed alloy overlords.

My hope was that the garden would actually slow time, but what’s true is that it slows my perception of time. You ask, “Well, isnt’ that the same thing?” Two weeks ago, I would have said, “Yes, it is.” This week I know that it’s not true. It seems entirely naive to have thought that because time slows down for me almost to standing still that the rest of the world does too. Okay, yes, I am the center of my world.

And I have two discoveries, one delightful and one very sad that support my new understanding.

First the delightful one: We were visited last week by two dear friends and their two year old. If anything can show you the passing of time, a two year old can as she learned in front of us, gathering up the knowledge that she would need to make her way in the world, moving on, cycling back. She is so different now than she was last October!

Now the sad: In the span of 5-10 minutes last Friday, my best friend went from engaged social active participation to gone. I’m still wrapping my head around that time whiplash. Not fair. Time sucks. His garden is still there, moving at garden time, but he’s not.